Collateral Damage: How High-Stakes Testing Corrupts America's Schools - Softcover

For more than a decade, the debate over high-stakes testing has dominated the field of education. In this passionate and provocative book, Sharon Nichols and David Berliner document the ways that high-stakes testing threatens the purposes and ideals of American education. Their analysis is grounded in the application of Campbell&;s law, which posits that the greater the social consequences associated with a quantitative indicator (such as test scores), the more likely it is that the indicator itself will become corrupted&;and that its use will corrupt the social processes it was intended to monitor.

Nichols and Berliner show how the pressures of high-stakes testing erode the validity of test scores and distort the integrity of the education system. Their analysis provides a comprehensive intellectual framework for arguments against high-stakes testing, while putting a compelling human face on the data marshaled in support of those arguments.

&;Nichols and Berliner provide a hard-hitting and thoughtful critique of today&;s overreliance on high-stakes testing. This is a must-read for anyone concerned about the unintended consequences of education reform.&; &; Paul D. Houston, Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators

&;The cumulative impact of the accounts Nichols and Berliner lay out before us is staggering. They punch it home: The moral impact of NCLB may be as dangerous as its educational effects.&; &; Deborah Meier, Senior Scholar, New York University

&;Collateral Damage delivers a healthy dose of hard truth. It should be required reading for policymakers and concerned citizens.&; &; Jeannie Oakes, Presidential Professor and Director, UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access

&;Nichols and Berliner provide a carefully reasoned analysis laced with frightening accounts drawn from public schools. This readable volume eviscerates the premise that our schools can be evaluated with a single indicator. If you care about public schooling, this book is essential.&; &; W. James Popham, Professor Emeritus, UCLA